Wine Country
by dutchesscourtney
Summary: Recently graduated Rey Jakku takes a job with the Resistance vineyard, only to find herself in direct competition with talented Kylo Ren of the First Order, a larger winery. Will the pair ever find the right blend? Read more to find out!
1. Chapter 1

_AN: The AU that no one asked for! Reylo set in a vineyard. Spoiler alert, I don't know a ton about the subject (or exactly where this story is going). I'm also putting this as a standalone in the hopes that I will continue a multi-chapter adventure._

 **Wine Country: Chapter 1**

As a breeze drifted through, Rey Jakku looked up and over the fields outside the window of her rented apartment. In the late afternoon, there was a particular scent of earth, soil and minerals that couldn't be found anywhere else. She loved to put her hands in the dirt, to feel the connection to the vines growing around her. Her classmates made fun of her for it, but she didn't mind. While her methods might be a bit unique, Rey's understanding of weather patterns, soil, and plants made her one of the top upcoming winemakers in Sonoma. Very few people at her age possed such a palate and she couldn't wait to get involved in bigger decisions that would shape the taste of the grapes. Graduating with her viticulture degree, she'd been aggressively recruited by a number of different factions - from the behemoth First Order estate to the smaller, boutique Resistance vineyard. It was Rey's dream to one day open her own estate, but those days were far away, and she knew she had to first pay her dues.

In reality, her decision had come down to a bottle of wine. After hearing the pitches from both places, and nearly being blinded by the gigantic salary the First Order offered, she'd ordered a single bottle from each winery, allegedly the best they had to offer - award-winning and expensive bottles that graced some of the best restaurants on the West coast. Rey had sipped from the glasses, taking her time to taste the notes and uniqueness of each blend. Without a doubt, the First Order cabernet sauvignon was bold and had notes of dark, rich berries. It was a sumptuous, heady drink and certainly one to be taken seriously. Meanwhile, the Chardonnay from the Resistance was buttery, fruity and oaky. The crispness was one of her favorite flavors.

Sighing (and slightly buzzed), she looked at the nearly empty glasses.

She saw the potential in the grapes.

She wanted to make a name for herself, and knew both vineyards offered senior winemakers with very different approaches. At the First Order, Mr. Snoke was known for his cutthroat approach to the business, buying or threatening competitors until his vineyard was the largest in the area, dominating sales and crushing all others. She knew that he looked at profits first, awards second, and didn't care how many people it took to reach the highest levels. That the Resistance has managed to stay afloat and even thrive is mostly due to the brilliant marketing of one Leia Organa. Her brother, the man who started the vineyard and put the place on the map, Luke Skywalker, had apparently been absent for many seasons, but Rey was hopeful she might have a chance to apprentice under him, no matter how briefly.

There are other things to consider. Working at either establishment does not mean working in a vacuum. When it comes to people, Rey felt instantly at home with the loveable, but not professionally trained Resistance, Poe, Finn, and Rose had all made her feel welcome and part of a team - a place where she would work amongst friends. Coming from a rather unsavory wine bar experience during her undergrad days, Rey almost didn't realize that one could enjoy going to work.

Which was yet another tick in the 'pro' category for the Resistance. Her meetings at the First Order had mainly involved an unbelievably pretentious redhead named Hux, who'd seemed rather bored with showing her around, and more interested in name dropping all the vintages he had sampled. There was another she would potentially be working with - Kylo (honestly, who would purposely go by such a name), some sort of hot shot in the First Order, but he had been out on a sales call and she had been unable to meet him during her interview. The name Kylo Ren was not unknown to her. He'd been a few years ahead of her in classes, and was said to have a nearly perfect palate. There was no wine or varietal he couldn't determine. If the rumors were true, he had the ego to match.

Rey leaned back at her desk. Why then, had Kylo chosen to work for the First Order and not his mother and uncle? It was a fact people rarely brought up, but Rey wondered at the fact. She'd been too shy to ask about it during her interview, and believed, naively perhaps, that whatever the issue was, it should remain as something private within the family. Her job would be to help produce the best grapes, and not get involved in any drama.

Looking down to the orange cat rubbing her ankles, she asked, "What should I do, BB?"

"Mrow?"

"Yes, but what if I make the wrong choice?"

BB proceeded to begin politely washing her face.

Rey looked at her lists, the papers, and brochures. Looking down at BB, she said, "Here goes nothing." Picking up her cell phone, she carefully dialed. "Ms. Organa? Yes, it's Rey. I'd like to take the job, if it's still available."

 _AN: Yes, I did consider naming the estate the Thirst Order - why do you ask?_


	2. Chapter 2

_**AN: Meet cute ahoy! Thanks to Xanderlike for (once again) giving me the idea.**_

 **Chapter 2**

Rey's first day at the Resistance Winery started out on a rather frustrating note. That is, for someone who was usually punctual to the minute, her cat BB had seemed rather out of sorts early in the morning, to the point that Rey was worried enough to take her to the vet, hastily found on Yelp. As familiar as Rey with the vineyards of Sonoma Valley, the reality was that she was still new to town and sorting out the basics.

"It's okay, baby," she crooned into the carrier. The drive from her apartment was quick, and, as she hastily glanced at the clock, she was arriving just as the vet was opening. Pulling into the parking lot, Rey was surprised to see a giant black truck already parked.

Collecting the kitty carrier (and a relatively unhappy BB), she walked into the lobby. Rey hadn't taken two steps into the area when a big gray dog came flying towards her. Rey, who was generally unafraid of animals, was more concerned with the safety of BB. As the dog's leash got mixed up in her feet, in an attempt to keep the kitty carrier from hitting the ground, Rey was prepared to make a rather difficult appointment with the carpeted surface of the vet's lobby. At the last minute, a rather strong set of arms snaked around her waist and pulled her close.

Rey's world tilted and she barely managed to place BB on the counter, then somewhat accidentally placed her hands on a muscular chest, trying to steady herself. This was made all the more chaotic by the large grey dog who was still in a very hyper state, dropping to his paws and then bounding away, barking excitedly throughout.

The man (who Rey was still pressed up against), dropped one of the hands at her waist and tried his best to capture the leash of the dog.

Breathing heavily, Rey looked up and was greeted with whiskey brown eyes hidden behind hipster glasses that somehow worked for their owner, thick, dark hair, and a nose large enough to be categorized as 'interesting.' Altogether, it's wasn't a bad look, and recognition danced in her brain. Of course, that could be because this was the closest she had been to a man remotely close to her age in over a year. And he was, as far as she could determine, a very strong man, muscular in all the places he should be.

Realizing how close she was, whether intentional, or perhaps the strange sense of humor of the universe, Rey moved away hesitantly, hoping the blush she felt on her cheeks wasn't bright enough to be noticed. She was now somewhat glad she'd dressed up a bit for her first day of work - tight black trousers, black boots with a small heel, and a sleeveless grey tunic, highlighting her toned arms.

"I… Um, thank you."

The tall man placed a hand through his hair, revealing slightly overside ears to match the nose, and, in a deep voice that went straight to parts of her body she had thought long dormant, said, "Well, it's kind of my fault, BB here gets a bit excited around cats."

"Wait, your dog's name is BB?"

At his name, the giant dog - an Irish wolfhound, if Rey's guess was correct, perked up and came bounding over to them. The man dropped to his knees and began ruffling the dog's impressive coat. "Yes, why? What's wrong with the name?"

"BB is my cat's name."

The pair looked at each other strangely. Rey thought she felt something like attraction, when the receptionist opened the door, ruining the moment.

"Ben?" At the question, the man in front of her looked up. "The doc will see you now."

'Ben' turned to her and said, somewhat sheepishly, "I, uh, I'd love to make this up to you. If you have time, maybe I can buy you coffee after our appointments?"

"Oh." At this syllable, Ben's face fell. Rey waved her hands wildly and managed to continue, "I mean, I'm new to town and today's actually my first day of work. I'm already going to be late as it is."

"You should take my appointment then."

"Really?"

"Yeah, since you're new and all."

"That would be wonderful."

They stand looking at each other, both with half smiles on their face. Then BB (her cat) cried in the carrier, and Rey said, "I'd love to take a raincheck on the coffee. I'm not sure how my first week is going to go, but maybe this weekend?"

The receptionist coughed. On a whim, Rey reached into her battered leather purse and rummaged out one of her new business cards - one that she was very proud to have (even if she didn't yet have a holder to keep them). They were a unique design, dark purple, edged in gold, and with the distinct logo of the Resistance. "Here, you can be the first to receive one of my new business cards."

Something angry instantly flared in Ben's eyes. "The Resistance?"

"Yes, do you know it?"

He shoved the card back in her direction. "I do."

"And what?" Rey suddenly found herself defensive. "You don't like their wine? The grapes have somehow offended you on a personal level?"

"I… It's complicated. You should go to your appointment."

Any lingering feelings Rey immediately disappeared. She hated being told what to do. "Fine."

Which is how, finally at work nearly an hour later, Rey poured out her story to her new colleagues. It certainly wasn't the most professional approach, but she was still too angry to hold what happened in.

Rose was the first to respond. "Wait, what kind of dog did you say it was?"

"A massive grey Irish wolfhound. He called it BB."

The trio - Poe, Finn, and Rose - all exchanged a look. Finn asked, "Who should be the one to tell her?"

"Tell me what?"

Poe, with an easy smile, lifted his hand. "That man was none other than Kylo Ren."

"Then why did he tell me his name was Ben?"

Again, the group looked at each other. Finn shrugged his shoulders. "I have no idea what goes on in that man's brain."

Rey blinked her eyes rapidly. "Whatever he's calling himself, he clearly wanted nothing to do with me, and therefore, I want nothing to do with him."

"Easier said than done, kid," Poe said.

"Why?"

"You'll be seeing him tomorrow."

Rey's shoulders slumped. "Really?"

"Yes. One of the first events in a local competition is tomorrow. In addition to going up against the First Order, it's an excellent chance for us to network with some of the big names in the industry. If we get a good buzz, it could really boost our sales for the rest of the year."

Rey doesn't need to be told that the Resistance can use all the help they can get. Pushing up her sleeves, she said, "Tell me how I can help."

 _AN: What's that? ALL the tropes? Reviews make me happy!_


	3. Chapter 3

Rey had far too much to do in her first two days at Resistance to even consider Ben and his complete lack of normal behavior at the vet, no matter how firm his pectorals were, or how awesome his dog appeared to be. In between rushing home to give BB his meds and frantically change clothes for the evening event, Rey was running on not much more than a Luna bar by the time she pulled up to the fancy wine bar the following evening. Swiping on some mascara she managed to find in her purse, and a dabbing on some lip gloss, she straightened her shoulders and prepared to do her best.

Certainly, there were not a lot of expectations on her second day, however, she wanted to show the rest of the Resistance that she was a team player, and fully capable of contributing to the success of the vineyard. And if she managed to get more of the attention and sales leads than stupid Ben Solo, then so be it. She was silently fuming to herself about how such a jerk could have such a lovely dog and, not particularly looking where she was going, she opened the door to the venue. It was then she heard a rather expressive expletive on the other side of said door. Apparently, someone had more or less appeared on her right and she'd all but opened the door directly on them.

Hoping against hope it was someone on her team, or basically, no one related to the wine industry people inside, she took a deep breath and peered around the corner.

No such luck.

It was Ben.

Worst of all? She seemed to have cracked his glasses.

He stood frozen as the door creaked shut.

A jerk he might be, but she wanted to destroy him in the world of wine, not destruct his property.

Before she could stop herself, she stood on her tiptoes and her hands went up to his face, trying to straighten the spectacles. As if that would help. What she didn't account for was the reaction when the tips of her fingers touched his face.

Startled by a shock of something indescribable, she accidentally swiped the glasses, which clattered to the ground, falling at a great height from his massive frame.

If they weren't broken before, they were more certainly damaged now.

"I'm so sorry!" Rey quickly risked a glance at his bare face, and found his dark brown eyes were searching hers. Ben looked like he wanted to be mad, but was confused at the same time. It was then that she noticed a long scar running down the right-hand side of his face. The frames had helped distract her from them previously.

In a somewhat endearing move, he slowly leaned over and collected the frames. "I have another pair in the car."

"I…" Her hand stretched out after his retreating frame. Then, with a last glance at the entrance to the venue, she followed him to the parking lot.

"Why are you following me?"

"I insist that I pay for the frames." Rey rummaged around in her purse, trying to determine if she had a check, and praying she had the sufficient funds to cover the cost. "It was an accident."

Ben turned and leaned on his monster truck, and Rey realized what he was wearing for the first time. He'd clearly been in a casual mode at the vet's office, in dark jeans and a fitted t-shirt. Tonight, he was dressed in head to toe black, a look that somehow worked for him, not that she was noticing. "Was it?"

Her mouth opened in indignation. "If you believe that I'm capable…"

"Hold on, scavenger, I don't think that little gesture was on purpose."

"Scavenger? Where the hell do you get off calling me that?"

"Anyone who works for the Resistance is simply scavenging off what's left in the market after the First Order."

Unable to stand his pretentious presence a moment longer, Rey opened her wallet and, not bothering to count the money inside, she threw the bills in his direction. "Let me know if I owe you anything further."

Rey stalked away, not particularly caring whether or not Ben was blind for the rest of the evening. Pasting a smile on her face, she spent the rest of the evening chatting and networking with various vendors, making some concrete leads, and appointments to follow up on in the following weeks. Although being an extrovert was not something that came naturally to Rey, she buried any uncomfortable feelings, knowing it was the best thing she could do for the company.

More than out of the corner of her eye, there was an awareness of where Ben was throughout the evening. She didn't have to look to know where he was, there was an aura of sorts that equally pushed and pulled her. No matter what she did, where she stood, or who she talked to, she couldn't rid herself of it.

When the vendors had finally cleared out (in town cars provided by the First Order, Rey noted angrily), the brunette found herself alone at the bar with Rose.

Rose, who had clearly had a few more glasses of wine than Rey, smiled lovingly in the direction of Finn, who was happily chatting to Poe. Turning her attention back to Rey, she said, "So, how was your first event?"

"Great!" And Rey was shocked to realize her response was accurate. Other than the unpleasantness with Ben, she had really enjoyed herself. While she wasn't that comfortable in social situations, she loved talking about wine, and was ecstatic to be in a room with some many people who enjoyed the beverage.

"And the fact that Kylo was smoldering in your direction all night didn't hurt?"

Trying to determine if Rose was drunk or tired, Rey said, "Smoldering, really?"

"Properly. I wish someone would look at me with half as much heat."

"It was most likely anger. I kind of accidentally broke his glasses before we came in."

"Keep telling yourself that. I know a smolder when I see one."

Realizing that perhaps Rose might not remember all the details of their conversation the next morning, Rey asked, "And what would you do about such a smolder?"

Rose gulped the last of her drink, then said, "That's playing with fire. Granted I think almost anyone would like to climb him like a tree, there's a ton of baggage with him."

"And if it was just physical?" Rey wondered aloud.

"Girl, I don't think he's the type."

"What do you mean?"

"I… It's just I think he's either all in or nothing. I don't think he could process something on just a physical level."

"Duly noted." Rose's words were definitely something to think about. "And what about that scar on his face? Any idea where it came from?"

"Dashing isn't it. Kind of like a modern pirate or something."

"Rose..."

"Fine. No one really knows. He was gone for awhile, and then came back with it. Poe's always joked Kylo should have his nose reduced-"

"What?" Rey realized she rather liked Ben's face the way it was."

"It's all in good fun, for the most part."

Rey glanced at her phone and realized it was later that she preferred. "Now, shall we see about getting an Uber? I'm pretty sure neither of us is ready to drive home tonight."

"I'm glad you joined the Resistance, Rey." Rose climbed down off her bar stool and put an arm around Rey's waist.

"Me too."

 _ **AN: I like the idea of Rose being a bit too honest when she's drunk.**_


	4. Chapter 4

_"Our hopes and expectations  
_ _Black holes and revelations…_

 _Hold you in my arms_  
 _I just wanted to hold_  
 _You in my arms_  
 _I just wanted to hold."_

 ** _Starlight, Muse_**

Following the unwritten girl code, Rey made sure Rose was tucked into her Uber and on her way back home, which was, unfortunately, on the other side of town from where Rey was living. Scrolling through her phone, Rey was just about to order a second car, when she heard the door to the bar close behind her.

Although she'd taken a few self-defense classes and believed that Sonoma was a relatively safe place, she could never be too careful. Squaring her shoulders, while simultaneously digging in her purse for her keys, Rey turned around, then, recognizing the person, said, "Oh, it's just you."

"Don't sound too excited," Ben answered as he walked closer.

"Are you stalking me or something?"

"No, I had to make sure all of our leftover stock made it into the truck. I was just finishing up."

"Sounds very responsible of you." The second wind of her last drink hit Rey, and she swayed slightly. The fact that she'd more or less skipped lunch and hadn't had much more than a few bites of cheese for dinner wasn't particularly helping the situation.

"I'm not the only one."

"What do you mean?"

"You made sure your friend got home safe."

"It's what anyone would do."

Ben crossed his arms over his formidable chest, and said, "Do you want a ride home?"

"What do you mean? You're a stranger." Under the soft lamps of the distant street light, the tall man in front of her quirked an eyebrow at her. Rey said, "Fine, I know a few things about you. Anyway, weren't you drinking tonight?"

"Rey…" The young woman wondered what was in the combination of her drinks her tonight would cause her to get a reaction of goosebumps just from him using her name. "I weigh easily double what you do. It takes more than a few sips of wine to get me anywhere approaching drunk."

Realizing much of her discretionary income has been thrown in Ben's general direction, she begrudgingly agreed. "Fine. If you are offering, I will accept a ride to my residence."

"Anything you want to add to that?"

"I suppose a thank you is in order."

As they neared the truck, Rey was shocked that Ben moved to open the door of his car for her, and even more surprised when he seemed like he wanted to boost her into the cab. It was a large step up - the vehicle seemed like it belonged in a monster truck rally rather than in the parking lot of a wine bar. Rey looked for something to grab onto and suddenly felt a large, warm, and steady hand on her back, guiding her upwards. The pressure was gone in a moment, causing Rey to wonder if it had been there at all.

Once inside the cab, Ben placed his hands on the wheel. Before starting the car, he looked at her for a long moment. Then, apparently okay with his current life choices, placed the key in the ignition. In the dim lighting of the streetlight, Rey found herself entranced as she glanced in his direction. The large features, the deceptively charming freckles, the large lips she couldn't draw her eyes away from...

Ben put the truck in drive, breaking the tension. "Where do you live?"

Rey listed off her new address, to which Ben more or less grunted. Watching her new town drift by, Rey more or less zoned out, surprised the stereo was playing a song she approved of. Sooner than she realized, Ben was pulling over and she was startled when he put the car in park. Her plan was to jump out of the car and try to forget this lapse in his otherwise terrible personality. Suddenly transported back to an uncomfortable high school date, Rey clamped up, entirely unsure how to act, what to say, or what do next.

It seemed the man next to her was in very much the same situation. Any ideas for conversation went completely out of her mind, and the silence seemed to stretch out to infinity.

"I'm sorry," he said suddenly, looking straight ahead. It was quieter here, and not as bright as the parking lot.

"Really, why?"

"I… You can work anywhere you want."

Rey considered his strange apology. "So, you found out I could've taken a job with the First Order?"

"I, yes, it was made clear to me."

"Do you wish you had been at my interview?" Rey blurted out, surprising herself with the question.

Ben turned to look at her. "What kind of question is that?"

"I don't know, forget I said anything."

"Rey… It's been less than two days. I don't think I'm prepared to respond to that."

"Sorry, I sometimes get weird after mixing up kind of wine." Rey was privately wondering why she was still in the cab of the car.

"You're not from here."

"Figured that one out, did you?" She asked.

"I…"

"Sorry. Yes, I was brought up in England. However, as viticulture studies are a bit less developed in the UK, I applied to schools in California." Twisting her fingers around the strap of her purse, she asked, "And your scar? Where did it come from?"

"Nowhere important." With that cryptic comment, Ben opened his door and walked around to let her out, which Rey didn't believe was necessary, but was somehow endearing. Other than his rather outward social awkwardness, he'd clearly been raised with manners.

"I can get out of a truck by myself, Ben."

"It's a big step…"

"I…" With that, Rey more or less accidentally slid into him. Even worse, as much as she was trying to tell her legs to move, her feet were not responding. Whether it was coolness in the evening or the attraction she was trying to deny, Rey was frozen in place, pressed against his much warmer body.

She risked a look up and was surprised to see Ben staring intently down at her. He moved a large hand to gently move a piece of hair from her face, rubbing it between his fingers. Rey held her breath. Some inner voice was urging her to go inside, but another was encouraging her to stay. Rose's words 'climb him like a tree' echoed in her mind.

Hesitantly, Ben bent down and barely touched her lips to hers. As if the most natural thing in the world, Rey closed her eyes and responded, opening her mouth. He was unexpectedly gentle, nibbling at her, then expertly using his tongue against hers. Their embrace remained light - but Rey knew she wasn't imagining that they were both holding back. Ben's large hands moved to cradle her face, but she pictured them running up and down her body and shivered slightly.

In the distant background, Rey's phone buzzed from inside her purse, which captured their attention. Ben pulled back.

"I'll… See you soon, Rey." There was a slightly distant tone in his voice, as he walked around the truck.

Oh, this was definitely going to make work a lot more interesting, Rey thought to herself as his truck drove away.

 **AN: What would be on the radio? What music would these two both like listening to? For some** **reason, all I can think of is early Radiohead (because I am old).**


End file.
